Door check



noon ormcx Filed April 2e, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 IIL lrllllllllIl/IIILvllllll/IL nventor .igea/arm Mes/990e (Ittomegs Patented Jan. 6, 1942curr-1inl STATESM PATENT oFF-lcs Frederick J. Westrope, Pleasant Ridge,Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Reconstruction FinanceCorporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of the United StatesApplication April 26, 1940, Serial No. 1,857

9 Claims. JCI. 16-86) door check adapted to apply a diierent retard-V f"ing force to the door in one direction of its movement than in the otherdirection thereof.`

Another object of this invention is to provide a door check having meansassociated therewith t for limiting the movement of a vehicle door andfor cushioning this movement when'the door reaches its open position.

Another object is to provide a door check having means for limiting andcushioning the open movement of a door, together with'means forreleasably holding the door in its open position.

Another object is to provide a door check having cam means engageablewith an arm connected to a door so that the arm tilts thecam means fromone position to another in order to limit,` cushion and check theopening movement of the door, as wellV as to releasably hold the door inits open position.

Another object is to provide a door check having cam means mounted uponresilient material, such as rubber, and engageable with a projectionupon an arm carrying a cushion, so that the projection tilts the cam inorder to check the opening movement of the door, the cushion brings thedoor to a, halt, and the projection coi-'- operates with the cam in thereverse direction to releasably hold the door in its open position, yetto permit the door to be closed if a closing force exceeds apredetermined amount.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, showing a door structure andsupporting structure interconnected by a door check according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention. with the parts in theclosed position of the door;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, but with the door in its openposition;

Fig, 4 is a vertical longitudinal section along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;Y

Fig. 5 is a cross section along the line 5 5 in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4, but showing the cam moved to theright by the armprojection preparatory to closing the door.

In structures, such as vehicles, employing doors, various devices havebeen provided for checking the opening movement of the door.- If

this opening motion isnot checked but is abruptly 55l stopped, thestresses set up between the door, hinges and the door jamb are liable tocause breakage orv bending of the parts with consequent damage. IneXtreme cases, the door itself is occasionally torn from the hinges orthe hinges torn from the door jamb when too great an opening force isemployed and this force is not properly checked. Such accidents areliable to occur particularly in the case of automobile doors, thesebeingvery heavy and exerting great leverages during the openingmovement.

In brief, the door check ofthe Apresent invention consists of a devicefor checking a door structure hinged-to a supporting structure and forholding the door structure in an open posi-l tion. For this purpose thedevice is provided with an arm pivoted to one of the structures andhaving a projection and a cushion thereon. The projection is adapted toengagea tiltable cam mounted upon the other structure and supported upona resilient member, such as a rubber block. When the door is opened, theprojection engages the `cam and pushes it downward as the projectionslips over the cam. After this has occurred the cushion on the armengages the housing of the cam'and cushions the halting motion ofthedoor structure. After the projection on the arm has slipped over thecam, the'latter acts as a yielding abutment to hold the door open.

When a force greater than a predetermined force'isexerted upon the doorin a closing direction, however, the projection engages and tilts thecam while pushing it downward upon its resilient block. If the force isgreat enough, it tilts the cam a sufficient distance to permit theprojection to ride completely over the cam and permit the armthenceforth to allow the door structure to close upon its supportingstructure. Referring to the drawings in detail, Figs. 1 'and 2 show asupporting structure I0, such as an automobile body, upon which ispivotally supported the door structure II, as by the hinges I2'upon thehinge pins I3, one hinge only being shown. f

The supporting structure I in its wall I4 is provided with an apertureI5 through which an angle bracket I6 projects outward. The angle bracketI6 consists of L-shaped members I'I secured as at I8 to the bodyy wallI4. The L-shaped members I 'I project outwardly and between their outerarms support a pivot pin I9 upon which is pivotally mounted the arm orstrap 2i) serving as a connecting link betweenthe body structure Iandthe door structure II. l

'Ihe arm 20 is elongated and at its rend isp-rovided with a pin 2lretaining a plate 22 upon the arm 20. The plate 22 in turn serves as asupport for the cushion 23, the latter being oi rubber-like material.

Between the pivot pin i9 and the cushion 23, and spaced apart therefromis a projection 24 preferably formed by upsetting a. portion of the arm29 by forming a corresponding depression 25. The projection 24 ispreferably in the form of a wedge with an abrupt rising portion 25 andgradual incline 2l.

Mounted upon the wall 28 and secured thereto as at 29 is a housing 30having a front plate 3l with an aperture 32. Adjacent the aperture 32the edges 33 and 34 of the plate 3l are bent around so as to provide asmooth sliding arrangement for the arm 2D, which passes through theaperture 32. The housing 3l] is provided with a corresponding aperture35 opposite the aperture 32 and having similar bent edges 35 and 3l.

The bent portions 33 and 36 serve to retain a leaf spring 38 in aposition engaging the `top surface of the arm 20. Likewise engaging thearm 20, but on its lower surface, is a tiltable cam, generallydesignated 40.

The tiltable cam 40 is elongated to extend entirely across the housing39, and is provided with opposite flat surfaces 4l and 42 interconnectedby a ridge 43 having a gradually sloping surface 44 on one side and anabruptly sloping surface 45 on the other side. On the lower side of thecam 40 is a portion 45EL having a rounded extremity 46 of approximatelycylindrical configuration. The portion 46 engages a correspondinglyconfigured portion 41 in a seat member 48 mounted upon a resilient block49 of rubber or other resilient material. The lower side of theresilient block 49 rests against the lower wall of the housing 3D.

In the operation of the door check of this invention, let it be assumedthat the door structure Il is in a closed position relatively to thebody or supporting structure l (Figs. 1 and 2). If, now, the doorstructure Il is opened, so that it swings into the position of Fig. 3,the projection 24 upon the arm 20 rides over the surface 44 of the cam4l) and forces it downward against the resilient block 49. This actionretards the opening momentum of the door, and the latter comes to a haltwhen the cushion 23 engages the adjacent wall of the housing 30.Meanwhile, the abrupt portion 26 has passed over the ridge 43 of the cam40 and has snapped into place behind the surface 45, as shown in Fig. 4.

If a 'small force is applied to the doo-r in a closing direction, suchas the force of the wind, the projection 24 tilts the cam 49 into thevertical position of Fig. 6 from the oblique position of Fig. 4. Duringthis action the flattened cam surface 42 comes into engagement with thein terior wall of the housing 30 whereas the flattened surface 4l movesout of engagement therewith. The compression of the resilient block 49,however, halts the tendency for the door to close, unless an excessivepressure is applied to the door to force it into the position shown inFig. 6.

If such an excessive closing force is applied to the door, theprojection 24 rides over the cam ridge 43 from the position shown inFig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the cam 40, thus released,is urged by the resilient block 49 back into the tilted position of Fig.2. While the projection 24 is riding over the cam ridge 43, the cam 49is pushed downward, thereby still further compressing the resilientblock 49 and causing 75 the cam surface 42 to slide vertically along theinner abutment portion 50 of the housing 3U.

Thus the provision of the tilting cam element in the door check of thepresent invention provides an eifective retardation of the opening ofthe door and at the same time holds the door releasably in its openposition. Moreover, from the irregular shape of the cam due to thedifference between the abrupt surface 45 and the gradually risingsurface 44 of the cam 40, a different retardation force will be appliedto the arm 20 in opposite directions of movement. In particular, thedevice brings about a moderate retarding effect during the openingmovement of the door, yet requires a much more powerful force in orderto close the door. A strong wind or a slight accidental contact with theopen door is, therefore, insufficient to swing the door to a closedposition, and thus accidents are eectively prevented. When it is desiredto close the door, the slight excessive force instantly brings thisabout and the door quickly swings into its closed position. The cushion23 upon the arm 29 serves to eiectively cushion the door as itapproaches its open position, and brings the door to a halt in ayielding manner.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated, it will be understood that various modications may be madewithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a door check for checking the opening movement of a door structureand for releasably holding the door structure in an open positionrelatively to a supporting structure, retaining means associated withone of said structures, an elongated member associated with the other ofsaid structures and extending through said retaining means, an abutment`on said elongated member positioned to halt the opening movement of thedoor structure, tiltably movable cam means pivotally mounted in saidretaining means for motion to and fro along a path approximately in thedirection -of motion of said elongated member, yielding means for urgingsaid cam means into engagement with said elongated member, and means onsaid elongated member spaced apart from said abutment for tilting saidcam meansto and fro in response to the motion of said elongated memberwhereby to releasably hold the door structure in an open position.

2. In a door check for checking the opening movement of a door structureand for releasably holding the door structure in an open positionrelatively to a supporting structure, retaining means associated withone of said structures, an elongated member associated with the other ofsaid structures and extending through said retaining means, an abutmenton said elongated member positioned to halt the opening movement of thedoor structure, tiltably movable cam means pivotally mounted in saidretaining means for motion to and fro along a path approximately in thedirection of motion of said elongated member, yielding means for urgingsaid cam means into engagement with said elongated member, and aprojection on said elongated member spaced apart from said abutment fortilting said cam means to and fro in response to the motion of saidelongated member whereby to releasably hold the door structure in anopen position.

3. In a door check for checking the opening movement of a door structureand for releasably holding the door structure in an open positionrelatively to a supporting structure, retaining means associated withone of said structures, an

element between said cam means and said yielding means.

4. In a door check for checking the opening movement of a door structureand for releasably holding the door structure in an open positionrelatively to a supporting structure, retaining means associated Withone of said structures, an elongated member associated with the other ofsaid structures and extending through said rej taining means, anabutment. on said elongated member positioned to halt the openingmovement of the door structure, cam means associated with said retainingmeans, yielding means for urging said cam means into engagement withsaid elongated member, means on said elongated member spaced apart fromsaid abutment for actuating said cam means lto releasably hold the doorstructure in an open position, and a bearing element between said cammeans and said yielding means, said yielding means comprising aresilient body of rubber-like material disposed between said cam meansand said retaining means.

5. In a door check for checking the opening f movement of a doorstructure and for releasably holding the door structure in anopenposition relatively to a supporting structure, retaining meansassociated with one of said structures, an elongated member having anabutment and a projection spaced apart therefrom extending through saidretaining means, a tiltable cam having a high portion With an abruptapproach on one side and a gradual approach on the other side positionedfor engagement by said projection, and yielding means associated withsaid retaining means for urging said lcam into engagement with saidprojection.

6. In a door check for checking the opening movement of a door structureand for releasably holding the door structure in an open positionrelatively to a supporting structure, retaining means associated withone of said structures,

taining means for urging said cam into engagement with said projection,said projection having gradually inclined and abruptly inclined portionsengageable respectively with the gradual approach and abrupt approach ofsaid cam.

7. In a door check for checking the opening movement of a door structureand for releasably holding the door structure in an open positionrelatively to a supporting structure, retaining means associated withone of said structures, an elongated member having an abutment and aprojection spaced apart therefrom extending through said retainingmeans, a tiltable cam having a high portion with an abrupt approach onone side and a gradual approach on the other side positioned forengagement by said projection, and yielding means associated with saidretaining means for urging said cam into engagement with saidprojection, said retaining means having a bearing portion thereon andsaid cam having a bearing portion slidably engageable with saidretaining means bearing portion during the motion of said cam inresponse to the motion of said elongated member in one direction.

8. In a door check for checking the opening movement ofa door structureand for releasably holding the door structure in an open positionrelatively to a supporting structure, retaining means associated withone of said structures, an elongated lmember having an abutment and aprojection spaced apart therefrom extending through said retainingmeans, a tiltable cam having a high portion with an abrupt approach onone side and a gradual approach on the other tion,v yielding meansassociatedl With said rey taining means for urging said cam intoengagean elongated member having an abutment and on one side and agradual approach on the otherv side positioned for engagement by saidprojection, and yielding means associated with said rement With saidprojection, and resilient means engageable with said elongated member onthe opposite side thereof from said cam.

9. In a door check for checking the opening movement of a door structureand for releasably holding the door structure in an open positionrelatively to a supporting structure, retaining means associated withone of said structures, an elongated member having an abutment and aprojection spaced apart therefrom extending through said retainingmeans, a tiltable cam having a high portion with an abrupt approach onone side and a gradual approach on the other side positioned forengagement by said projection, and yielding means associated with saidretaining means for urging said cam into engagement with saidprojection, vsaid retaining means having a plurality of bearing portionsthereon and said cam having a plurality of bearing portions engageablewith the bearing portions of said retaining means in the opposite tiltedpositions of said cam.

FREDERICK J. WES'I'ROPE.

